Campaign Iran sucks up to US Imperialism

Yes. It is true. Those principled fellows in the SWP-backed Campaign Iran have decided that you can criticise the Iranian regime and the USA is not so bad after all. If only those reformists around the millionaire scumbag 'Mullah with a smile' Khatami were in power in Iran to seek a nice agreement with US imperialism.

The Weekly Worker covered this bizarre change check it out here - WW 730

On the SWP-backed Campaign Iran's website a message of peace and solidarity to the people of USA. Check it out here!

Let's have a look at some of the things Campaign Iran had to say:

"We want to look beyond troubling issues such as the US intervention, that toppled the democratically elected popular government of Mossadeq and the drama of hostage taking of US diplomats by Iranian students."

Now. If you were a socialist, a student, an anti imperialist or someone who had a spine then you would oppose imperialist intervention absolutely. The SWP-backed Campaign Iran now belittles imperialist intervention which ended the National Front government of Mossadeq and smashed the workers' movement. Marvelous. What do comrades in the SWP have to say about this?

"Our request to the US Congress and to the US President is to scrap the fund for promoting democracy in Iran. This will pave the way for us to strengthen our bonds for people to people cooperation between America and Iran, WITHOUT INTERFERENCE OF GOVERNMENTS OF BOTH SIDES. Yes, we are confident that we can achieve what both governments have declared as intentions, but have failed to achieve in practice."

Illusions in imperialism are usually reserved for the AWL in Britain, but now it looks that the SWP-backed Campaign Iran believes that both the USA and the Iranian theocracy can achieve their aims. This is mad considering the logic of imperialism either means the subjugation of Iran through military means or the capitulation of the Iranian ruling class to Imperialist pressure, which looks like the intentions and plans of the reformist faction headed by Khatami (which the SWP support). The outcome those of us in HOPI support is for the defeat of imperialism and for the destruction of the Islamic republic by the workers, students, democratic and national movements.

"3. To the American President:. You have declared your deep respect and affection for the Iranian people. We want to take you at your word. So, here is a group of independent Iranians asking you:

(a) to dismantle the fund for democracy, which has had an outcome completely opposite to your declared goals

(b) to set up a non-partisan panel of scholars to study ways and means of easing sanctions so that independent and genuine Iranian civil society and scholars can cooperate with their US counterparts, observing universally accepted code of ethics, including transparency, accountability and partnerships based on equality and equity. We will respect international law, and the laws of both countries. What we do not like about the laws, we will try and change through non-confrontational dialogue and committed advocacy."

Now this is just plain bizarre. George Bush has such affection for the Iranian people he is ready launch a nuclear attack on them. The fund for democracy is clearly part of the declared goals set out by the US ruling class to install a more compliant regime in Iran. The second bit on international law is equally as bizarre. UN and EU sanctions have been imposed legally in international law. Does that make them ok? The legal sanctions on Iraq killed millions and the legal sanctions on Iran are having a considerable effect on inflation, unemployment and the working class. How does the SWP-backed Campaign Iran see international law being changed against sanctions, when international law has never been at the service of the oppressed but always at the service of the oppressors?

The students' movement in Iran has learnt a bloody lesson in what happens when you support the reformist faction of the Iranian ruling class. The Fedayeen majority and those good old stalinists in Tudeh are still following a stagist programme which has faith in a democratic settlement coming from an alliance between them and the murdering reformists; this can only lead to political subordination and the eventual physical liquidation of another generation of resistance against the Islamic republic.

I am reading 'Revolution and counter revolution in Iran' by Phil Marshall. It is an SWP book printed in 1988. I would urge comrades (especially SWP comrades!!!) to read what the SWP used to think and they will see that the SWP used to hold a far more healthy, internationalist and revolutinary position.